Banking for me versus a cash system

I'm not good at this banking thing, I'm especially not so great at the balancing thing.

I tried to make things simple 3 accounts

Savings/Overdraft protection
Checking for bills
Checking for spending/necessities (grocery shopping, gas, some variable bills)

I didn't do so hot, but I got back on the horse and tried again, only I did it again.

With that said. I'm keeping 2 accounts the savings/overdraft protection account and one checking account. I'm getting rid of the debit cards (although for the bill paying account I will keep the number to pay over the phone if I need to, just not the card). The other account I'm getting rid of and I'm going to a cash/envelope system.

I'm also going to start tracking my spending here on the blog.

I'm not sure where I am going wrong. I tracked my spending before and I was surprised with how much money I was spending in places like the gas station buying 'extras' and the likes.

I know one thing is I don't have a set grocery budget, I'm not quite sure how to create one... I just buy some weeks only what we really need to get by and some weeks when sales are great and I actually have the cash I stock up on expensive items. I know this is one of my big budget busters so maybe if I just buckle down with a cash only system I can get this done and get on a good track.

I'm really trying not to get frustrated or down about this, in the past by now I'd have totally given up. I'm going to keep getting back on this PF horse and keep riding hoping I fall less and less as time goes by.

I'm also toying with getting rid of everything but the savings and getting money orders each week when I get paid for bills then putting those together to mail off payment.

More money OUT the door!

I really should take stock up in Dentistry, if they had such a thing. Maybe some company that makes Dental items such as the parts to make a filing or other some such thing.

I've been in pain, excruciating pain. I have to admit I'm a big ole baby when it comes to tooth pain. I just am. I have wretched teeth, they are soft and they don't like me I think, I'm sure the dentist pocket book love me though and his wife of course!

I've been going to his office since I was a wee child. I trust him completely and he works with me. In fact he is working with me and giving me some of the procedure for FREE!!! He also saw me at no charge when I was in pain! He really does care about his patients and his main concern is that they get the treatment he needs.

Here is the kicker he is doing his portion at no charge but the main portion I have to see a specialist. The specialist comes into his office twice a week he is an endodontist that will be doing the main portions to the tune of $920 YIKES!! Thankfully I have enough on my insurance still that my portion is only $184 (whew!!!).

It is important I get this done now, the cap is waiting until January when my insurance kicks in again because after this (and some other work I had done this year) I will have used all but $88 of my insurance for the year. He thinks there might be some infection in there and I am in pain that won't go away with just some antibiotics (although I AM on them). I also have a heart condition that makes it dangerous for me to have a dental infection that will keep coming back. So it isn't an option to wait you see.

The remainder of the balance (the $184) will go on my flex spending (whew again!!).

The root canal due to the tooth it is on and the difficulty of what is there will have to be an outpatient surgery. I don't have to go completely under though and that is a good thing. I am a bit scared.

I now have to figure in the cap and what insurance pays (only about half my half will be about $450) into my flex spending for next year. I like to look at my flex spending as a sort of emergency fund because that is what it is there for, yet in a way you have to be careful not to put too much money into it. I'll have to do up a post all about flex spending in case there are some out there that don't know all the ins and outs of these accounts.

Now the other option is I could have the tooth pulled, however pulling teeth sometimes leads to bone depletion in the jaw. Since I am still young I'd like to avoid that if I can. The best option is to have the root canal even though it does cost quite a bit more. Even if I did have it pulled because of the nerves that have to be removed along with it and the location and difficulty of the tooth I'd still have to see the specialist.

Too bad the tooth fairy doesn't visit me anymore huh?

Photo By: Kaptain Kobold

Utilities

Utilities are by far the bill I hate paying the most. For some reason I really hate paying for the most basic of necessities as far as living expenses go.

I hate paying the gas and electric bill, the phone bill, and my rent. I wish I could find something I could do to reduce them normally and normally I come up with just about nothing.

There are some plans to reduce though.

Electricity:

I am currently buying the new CFL light bulbs, I have noticed a difference in the few I already have

New savings program - every time something not in use is left on the offender must put 25 cents in the utility jar (all quarters will be used for laundry though) When there is enough I'll put it in the bank to pay the electric bill

Budget Plan, making my electric bill the same each month

Gas (by far the worst offender):

Buying items to winterize next year -

• programmable thermostat
• plastic for door wall and windows
• heavy drapes
• outlet covers

I will not have another year of this super high Gas bills.

Actually both utilities are on the same bill.

I don't have a water bill per say... it is part of my rent. However, the landlord has a water bill and he has been letting us all know how high it is and encouraging us to help keep it down. I know helping to keep it down will also help to keep my rent down.

Renting brings me to another point, since he doesn't have to pay the gas bill he doesn't care that the furnaces are old or the windows are really bad. Nor, does he have any responsibility in fixing what isn't broken even if they cost me tons of money. Which is frustrating because I also know how incredibly cheap he is and approaching him on this isn't going to help at all.

Photo By: Josh Harkinson

Variable Expenses

Variable expenses in my expenses are a source of anxiety and confusion. I'm not quite sure how to account for them and figure out what to budget each month for each of them.

Also, some months I don't have those expenses and some I do. I keep forgetting to add certain things to the budget because it isn't something I've needed to spend on in a while. Like household items, sometimes I don't buy any for months and then bam I run out all at the same time and need new of everything, which can get expensive for the month. How do I figure out how much of these items I use in say a year and budget out the money for them all year long so the money is there when I need it?

What variable expenses do you have in your budgets? I know I'm overlooking items and I'm afraid of doing it all wrong again.

Photo by: FCN